Chicago White Sox: Add another arm to upgrade the farm system bullpen

By Evan Crum

Andrew B. Fielding-US Presswire

Rick Hahn has signed another pitcher to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. The Chicago White Sox signed right handed pitcher Ramon Troncoso. If Troncoso does well enough in Spring Training the White Sox would have another veteran pitcher in their bullpen.

Here are Troncoso’s numbers: he is 29 years old and has primarily been used as a relief pitcher. In his entire MLB career he has pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his four seasons with the Dodgers he is 8-8 with a 3.92 ERA, has appeared in 175 games, and has pitched in 197.1 innings striking out 141 batters.

In 2012, Troncoso didn’t appear in the MLB, more than likely because of the year he had with the Albuquerque Isotopes which is the Triple A affiliate for the Dodgers. He was 4-1 and posted a 6.67 ERA in 59.1 innings. In seven seasons in the Dodgers farm system he is 33-19 and has a 4.73 ERA.

The question becomes what this move means for the White Sox. The White Sox aren’t bringing Troncoso in because he has been lights out for the Dodgers, nor was he a top pitcher with the Dodgers, or a top pitcher in their organization– if he was the Dodgers wouldn’t have released him in the first place.

The White Sox are bringing in Troncoso since they just need another arm for Spring Training. If he doesn’t pitch well then they will release him, if he does pitch well then he will go down to Charlotte. Then, if the White Sox need him to either replace an injured player or to replace a player not doing well they can call him up.

Either way I think this shows again how Hahn is making it a priority to improve the White Sox farm system.